Airship



May 10, 1932. E. A. LEHMANN AIRSHIP Filed July 18, 1951 fige?.

Patented May 10, 1932 i Y1 Umran stares PATENT OFFICE@ ERNST AUGUST LEHMANN, 0E ERIEDRICHSHAEEN, BODENSEE, GERMANI. nssIGNon 'ro LUETSCHIEFBAU ZEPPELIN GESELLSCHAFT M'rr BESGHRANKTER' HAETUNG, or e ERIEnnrcHsHAEEN, BODENSEE, GERMANY .AIRSHIP Application led July 18, 1931, Serial No. 551,650, and in Germany July 21, 1930.

My invention relates to airships and has special reference to gas-inflated aircraft the inner space of which is longitudinally subdivided into individual compartments.

5 The main object of my invention is an advantageous distribution of the different gas cells with the gas they contain over the length of the ship, especially with ships in which two kinds of buoyant gases are used in combination with a fuel gas for feeding the motors. Of course, it is best to use onlya non-inflammable gas, such as helium, as lifting gas. But it is expensive and comparatively heavy, so that in many cases it is advisable'to make use of the cheaper and lighter hydrogen also. Consequently, in such cases three kinds of gas have to be distributed over the inner space of the Ships hull and gas cells of adequate material have to be provided therefor.

According to my invention the different gas containers and the gases with which they are inflated are so distributed longitudinally `of the airship that there are always at least two neighbouring cells inflated with fuel gas. This fuel gas is always heavier than the lifting `gases. It is therefore preferred to have the fuel gas containers in the lower portions of the compartments. A

Between two pairs of fuel gas cells there whereas the helium containers preferably are provided inthe upper portions of the compartments. v

The drawings represent examples embody-- ing my invention. They are drawn in a more diagrammatical manner. Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal vertical sections through the hull of a rigid airship. Fig. 3 shows the middle portion of Fig. 2 but on an enlarged scale.

The first example is represented in Fig. l, whereas Figs. 2 and 3 give another example.

The outer contour of the ship is indicated at 1 (the hull construction is not shown). All the upper gas cells 2 are inflated with helium, whereas the lower cells 3 contain hydrogen. The fuel gas isy Stored in the lower gas cells 4, wherefrom it is fed to the motors in the cars 5 by meansof pipelines or ducts 6. c Y Y should be at least one hydrogen container,

The. material for the cells containing the heavier fuel gas can be lighter than that containing the lighter helium, whereas the mate-y rial for enveloping this gas can again Vbe lighter than the envelopes for the hydrogen gas.

Gas ducts 7 serve for guiding the hydrogen gas escaping through the valves 8 to the top of the ship. A

.Between a helium gas cell above a fuel gas cell and a neighbouringhelium gas cell above a hydrogen gas cell a communication, for example a valve'9 is provided. This arrangement has the advantage th at, after hydrogen has escaped, the helium gas may expand downwardly into the space formerly filled with hydrogen. This means a considerable saving in the costly helium gas in the operation of such a ship. Y

In the example shown in Fig. l the pairs of fuel gas cells are separated by one hydrogen gas cell, whereas in the example represented in Figs. 2 and 3 always two hydrogen gas cells are `inserted between two pairs of fuel gas cells. At the forward and rear end of the ship. the lower gas cells preferably are provided to be inflated with hydrogen and not with fuel gas, because here buoyancy is wanted.

The hydrogen gas cells according to my invention are situated at a very advantageous place in the hull where it is easy and convenient to supervise them. Besides only hydrogen is intended to escape from the ship and none of the expensive helium. Furthermore the fuel gas is situated not far from the engines where it is consumed.

Thus the distribution according to my invention is most advantageous.

Of course, I do not want to be limited. to the exact details described or shown in the drawings as variations will occur to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. In an airship subdivided longitudinally into individual compartments, gas cells inflated with non-inflammable lifting gas in the upper portions of said compartments. and gas cells inflated with an inflammable lifting gas and gas cells inflatedwith a heavier fuel ico gas for the motors in the lower portions of said compartments; said fuel gas cells being arranged in pairs between which at least one gas cell containing inflammable lifting gas is inserted.

2. Gas cellarrangement as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by the feature that the lgas cells containing inflammable lifting gas are also arranged in pairs.

ERNST AUGUST LEHMANN. 

